Prefabricated upright panels of the type utilized for dividing interior workspaces are rigidly interconnected utilizing a wide range of connector structures which, in many instances, are constructed so as to be hidden in use, but which are often difficult to access. In many instances access to such connectors is vertically from above, and in such instance such connector is normally feasible for use only with panels which are less than floor-to-ceiling height. Additionally, many of the connectors which are accessible from the sides of the panels are, if uncovered, visually distracting, and hence such wall panels require additional auxiliary covers for hiding the connectors and improving the appearance of the assembled wall. The type and nature of connector also is a function of the type of construction of the prefabricated wall panel and, in some instances, such as when the panel is defined dominantly by a vertically enlarged glass panel having a surrounding edge frame, the provision of an adequate connector for joining adjacent upright panels is further complicated by the limited available space provided by the edge frames of the panels. In many instances, particularly when the panels are of the type referred to as “glass” panels, the frames of adjacent upright panels are frequently connected by vertically elongate splines connected between opposed vertical edges of the panel frames, or alternatively the adjacent vertical edges of the panel frames are joined by threaded fasteners extending therebetween. Such arrangements, however, have proven troublesome with respect to their ability to effect proper drawing together of the panels and at the same time maintaining desired aligned relationship between the panels.
In an effort to provide an improvement with respect to the above, there is disclosed in copending application Ser. No. 10/867,565, owned by the Assignee hereof, an improved connector which cooperates between the opposed upright edge rails of adjacent panels so as to effect drawing together and aligning of the adjacent panels to achieve a fixed connection therebetween, while at the same time permitting the connector to be of a small and compact structure so as to be conveniently disposed in a small space between the opposed adjacent edge rails, thereby providing a wall panel arrangement having desirable compactness and aesthetics. In the improved connector of the aforementioned copending application, the connector employs a pair of wedge members which are engaged on an activating rod through threaded connections of opposite hand so that rotation of the activating rod causes the wedge members to move axially of the activating rod in opposite directions. The wedge members cooperate with opposed wedgelike elements on the edge rails by effecting drawing in and aligning of the edge rails so as to create a fixed connection between the edge rails. While this connector and its cooperation with the edge rails has proven desirable for achieving the objective of aligning and fixing the edge rails of adjacent panels together while providing a small and compact connector arrangement, nevertheless further development efforts have been carried to provide improved performance and specifically to provide greater ease of insertion and assembly of the connector to the opposed edge rails to hence facilitate the job-site installation of the wall assembly.
Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide improvements with respect to a connector of the general type disclosed in the aforementioned copending application, and specifically improvements which facilitate initial insertion and application of the connectors into engagement with the edge rails of adjacent panels to facilitate the fixed securement therebetween.
In the upright wall panel arrangement of the present invention, a pair of vertically large upright wall panels, each generally preassembled and provided with a surrounding rigid frame, are provided with a sidewardly spaced pair of generally parallel guide grooves extending vertically along the outer face of the upright frame edge rails. A connector assembly including a main activator shaft or rod having a pair of wedge nuts threaded thereon in spaced relationship therealong is positioned between the pair of opposed upright edge rails associated with a pair of adjacent panels. The wedge nuts, which are oppositely threadedly engaged on the activating rod, have wedgelike edge flanges which protrude into the guide grooves of the opposed upright edge rails. Rotation of the activating rod, as by inserting an activating tool through a narrow upright slot defined between the adjacent edge rails, causes the wedge nuts to be simultaneously moved relative to the rod and in opposite directions with respect to one another so as to effect gripping engagement with the guide grooves of the opposed edge rails, thereby simultaneously effecting not only a drawing together of the edge rails, but also alignment thereof to effect a fixed and aligned securement of the adjacent panels to one another. One of the wedgelike edge flanges on each wedge nut has an enlarged clamping portion which projects axially in a direction away from the gripping position so that, when the activating rod is rotated to effect simultaneous movement of the wedge nuts away from the gripping position, the clamping portions located on one side of the wing nuts move into clamping engagement with an opposed side wall of the respective guide groove, whereby the connector can be fixedly secured and hence held in a desired position solely due to its engagement with one edge rail. This enables the connectors to be properly and easily secured to an edge rail of one panel, following which the adjacent panel can be moved into position so that the wedgelike edge flanges on the other side of the connector protrude into the opposed guide rails. When so positioned, the activator rods on the individual connectors can then be appropriately rotated so as to release the clamping portions from clamping engagement, thereby moving the wedge nuts toward the opposed sides of the guide grooves to effect the desired wedgelike engagement which both aligns and draws the panels together into the desired fixed relationship.
Other objects and purposes of the invention will be apparent to persons familiar with constructions of this type upon reading the following specification and inspecting the accompanying drawings.
Certain terminology will be used in the following description for convenience in reference only, and will not be limiting. For example, the words “upwardly”, “downwardly”, “rightwardly” and “leftwardly” will refer to directions in the drawings to which reference is made. The words “upper” or “upward” will also be used in reference to the normal orientation of the wall arrangement. Said terminology will include the words specifically mentioned, derivatives thereof, and words of similar import.